David Lee Artus was born the day before Pearl Harbor, Dec. 6, 1941 in Chicago. He lived across from the Museum of Science and Industry and enjoyed playing on the submarine and train when they were still outside. He went to Hyde Park High school and graduated from Bloom High School after his parents moved to Sauk Village. He worked for many years as a respiratory therapist, mostly in St. James Hospital, University of Illinois Hospital and finally for 25 years at Hines VA Hospital from which he retired. He was previously married to Margaret Artus of East Chicago, Indiana. In 1979 he married Louise P. Engert in Valparaiso, Indiana.
David had a lifelong love of the military, worked in Civil Air Patrol with high school students, and was a member of the Military Vehicles Collectors Club. The highlight of that was when the club helped film scenes from The Blues Brothers in downtown Chicago. An avid reader, he also loved movies, most especially John Wayne, and even had a John Wayne cowboy hat. Motorcycles, planes, trains and automobiles (and their models) filled his life. He had train sets in all gauges and loved the narrow gauge trains especially.
He is survived by his wife Louise; his son, John David (Jenny); his daughters, Michelle Louise Artus and Heather (James) Becker; his grandson, Avery Becker; his cousins, Bill Artus, Katie (Joris) Nefs, and Danny and David Artus; his sister-in-law, Kathy Engert; his nephews, Jeffry (Becca) and Brian (Elizabeth) Engert and great nephew Jacob Engert; two nieces and one nephew: Mary Ellen Ferrell, John Turner and Beth. He was preceded in death by his parents Cecil and Margaret Artus and his brother John Turner.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 27 at St. John Lutheran Church, 305 Circle Ave., Forest Park, IL 60130.
Memorials to St John Lutheran Church please. For more: 708-366-2200 or www.ZimmermanHarnett.com.
